When did Russia become such a piece of shit hellhole?

That image could easily be Oakland CA or Detroit MI, but yeah, fuck Russia. Die, ya fuckin' ex-commies.

R1 is triggered!

A freezing hellhole filled with miserable people. Sounds lovely.

Yeah but the men have huge genitalia.

Wasn't it always like that for most of them?

They have small, smelly dicks, R4, and they don't bathe.

Are you crazy, R6? You haven’t “known” many Russian men, have you.

R2, overshriek much, queenie?

They are incredibly trashy, angry people.

LOL at the trolls getting defensive.

LOL at R10, a troll twunk who thinks he's clever.

Russia has been a shithole for 1,000 years - at first courtesy of the nobility and the Orthodox church, then the Communist party, and now Putin and the Orthodox church again.

Ever heard of their famous green snow?

Here's the truth.

Russians have lived as serfs forever.

Let them loose and this is what you get.

Without education, social programs and a really shitty economy these people are doomed.

On the brighter side of things, they can always look forward to a fabulous life and career being an internet troll.

[QUOTE]Yeah but the men have huge genitalia.

According to who?

I'm curious as to why so many Russians migrate to the United States but nowhere else.

R16, according to me!

There are Russians in Australia, r17.

R16, according to everyone who has had sex with a significant number of them?

Are you really this clueless?

I’ve always had a good time.

^ well, almost always

[QUOTE]according to everyone who has had sex with a significant number of them?

You got anything more substantial than that? No studies have shown them to be any bigger than average.

Ridiculous, R23. They are always ranked #1 among Caucasian populations. ALWAYS. Scandinavians and Brits follow.

1917

R17, that should tell you something, about how US society works.

[quote]Russians have lived as serfs forever.

No they haven't. It wasn't until the early modern period (the seventeenth century) that serfdom was extended to apply to most peasants, meaning that they were part of the land that was owned.

[QUOTE]Ridiculous. They are always ranked #1 among Caucasian populations. ALWAYS. Scandinavians and Brits follow.

Among Caucasian populations? What does that mean? You can’t include the USA?

I saw the picture before the title and assumed this thread was about San Francisco.

Donald Trump seems to be extremely fond of Russia and he has a long aversion to shit hole countries.........so go figure

Well, go figure then, R30, since Russia is the biggest shithole of them all. Trump probably just likes it for the cheap whores.

Russia is basically Angola with nukes. (Apologies to Angolans for the comparison .)

It's entertaining watching the Russian trolls struggling and failing not to be triggered by this thread.

Is the photo staged?? Seems odd unless they are all on drugs (you won't even sleep that way).

[quote]Let them loose and this is what you get.

Without education, social programs and a really shitty economy these people are doomed.

I'm sure that's true, and the same lesson can be applied to this country as well. Take a walk through a crowded Walmart any time to see where things are heading.

They're doomed unfortunately. I don't see things improving for them.

They need a monorail.

When wasn't Russia a shithole? I mean through all of history, was it ever not a shithole?

Russia is ok. Tchaikovsky invented gay.

Too bad Russians seem intent on denying that Tchaikovsky was gay

Seriously, I read an article by Robert Heinlein about he and his wife taking a trip to the USSR in 1960, and they described drunk people passed out on the street exactly like this. This isn't new.

[quote]Russians have lived as serfs forever.

Well guess what, beetches?

Serf's. UP!

It's the people themselves that are to blame, they only have the government they deserve - and always have.

Verificatsaya of sizemeat, please.

They're stinky.

[quote]Well guess what, beetches?

[quote]Serf's. UP!

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

R47 Don't eat green snow!

It was always like that. And a shithole country is going to produce shitty people. They’re some of the nastiest, unpleasant people I’ve ever met. Plus they stink. And they attempt to cover up their body odor with expensive perfume.

R16 *whom

Moscow overall smells like an overflowing urinal people have been taking a shit in for the last forty or fifty years without janitorial attention that's downwind from a smoldering fire.

The Moscow subway on a warm summer day is an experience in olfactory overload the likes of which you'll never want to repeat until, of course, you have to get back on.

The birthrate is way below replacement and since they're xenophobic (no in-migration) the country's decline and eventual collapse is both predictable and inevitable.

Half-Russian and minored in Russian language at university. Reason why Russia is so backwards for a wannabe superpower (they're actually a 2nd-world not 1st-world nation) is because of their nationalistic trait of fatalism. The belief that fate influences their lives more than self-determination. Their medical system is a joke, as are many of their scientific institutions where brilliant scientists make do with outdated equipments or a lot less than Western scientists. What's kept Russian culture and people alive throughout history is that they do have a large segment of intelligentsia that influenced the world in fields of science, literature, music, and performing arts. But aside from that, there's a huge segment of trash people who fit the worst of Russian stereotypes: drunk, prone to violence, mistrustful of outsiders, etc.... Russians once you get to know as friends, are friendly and accepting of you as an outsider into their fold, but overall they will still mistrust non-Russians.

There is a good reason for this, Russians have been invaded by foreign armies throughout greater part of their history, from the Mongols to the Nazi Germans. However, the Russians are very durable, hearty people; without Russians fighting the Germans in WW2, we'd be looking at Hitler-controlled Europe. This is fact and consensus among historians. Despite what we've been taught by American history books, we did not win WW2, the Russians did. Over 80% of German military casualties occurred on the Eastern Front fighting against the Russians. There is a good reason that WW2 is not known as WW2 in Russia, but The Great Patriotic War, where over 27 million civilians and military died directly as result of the war. Hitler was done for once he invaded Russia. He did it because he believed the Russians to be subpar Caucasians fit only to be slaves for the Germans.

Now for looks because that's important for DL'ers, Russian men tend to not age that well. Sure, there are many who are hot for short while when they're young, but once they hit 40 it's like they're hit with fat and ugly sticks at same time. Same goes for Russian women, they keep their looks and figures even worse than Russian men. Most Russian women even the beautiful ones (not talking about models who have $$$ to keep up appearances) become fat very easily and once they're in late 30s it's all downhill with wrinkles, sagging, in addition to weight gain. Beautiful Russian women are some of the most stunning women in the world (due to Slavic and influx of Mongol genes they say), but only up to certain age. Compare the Russian relatives/ acquaintances with my Taiwanese half of relatives/ acquaintances and it's not even close, same socioeconomic circumstances and the Taiwanese ones (especially women) always look younger/ thinner, better skin. Russian food also does them no good, Russian cuisine is full of butter, sour cream,, other dairy, and meat, lots of white potatoes, low in green vegetables and antioxidants. The only thing I like are the black bread, some zakuski (hors d'oeuvre dishes), and my grandmother's fish pie which is the only rich dish I make and like.

Link to a good read about Siege of Leningrad. The mass suffering of Russians during WW2 isn't even comparable to what other nations in Europe suffered.

R41, My UCLA political science professor said it's always been a rarity to have an unfinished bottle of vodka lying around. USSR and now Russia have among the highest rates of alcoholism in the world. That accompanies domestic violence, extreme child abuse and neglect, birth defects, and extreme economic & family instability.

Why do you think Russian women are so anxious to marry Westerners? Russian saying, "A man need only be better looking than a monkey."

This 'Russia has been constantly invaded' meme is ridiculous. Russia has been an expanding empire for over half a millennium; occasionally it has to pull back a bit and give up some conquests, after self-inflicted civil wars or inept leadership, and then whines about being attacked by its 'evil' neighbours.

Well, looking only at the 20th century after WWI: Revolution and civil war (ca. 7 million dead), collectivization, resettlement and Stalinist repressions (an estimate of 9 million dead, including the 1932/33 famine and millions more in the Gulag system), WWII (ca. 26 million civil and military dead), another decade of Stalinist repressions, three more decades of maybe slightly less repressive communism, but increasing stagnation, followed by a decade of absolute chaos, poverty, crime and complete disillusionment, when people were hoping for freedom. Basically, it was a century of collective trauma with each generation carrying their own burden. Existing social structures were violently and irreversibly uprooted and overturned twice instead of being allowed to change gradually and naturally, and human life was generally worth very little. What do you expect?

R55 I agree with you, however it doesn't fully extend to other countries that have gone through similar events in recent history. Japan was absolutely devastated after WW2 and their emperor barely escaped the hangman's noose himself. Japanese society literally went to total decimation of all industries to world leader in technology and business in the 1970s. They hosted the Olympics less than 20 years after the whole nation became a wasteland post-WW2. Granted, the country had the stewardship of American presence, but the Japanese character(very prideful) was the deciding factor in such a dramatic turnaround. There is such a thing as national characteristic, and Russian one is fatalistic, it's partly why alcoholism and societal ills are so bad and not changing soon. You can expect to be gay-bashed walking down the street and be perceived as gay, for example. A British friend of mine who is a ballet lover went to St. Petersburg to watch a ballet festival there, he was able to find some small bars catering to locals and gay tourists, but he said the locals there acknowledged how bad it is over there but they're not intent on changing or challenging homophobic views.

have you read "crime and punishment" OP?

They're screwed.

I've worked with and known a bunch of Russians. The ones I've worked with/for have been assholes. The ones I know socially seem to be in the InfoSec field like me and are impressed when I know a few Russian words. That's how I learned telling a Russian he/she is nekulturny makes them turn nice shades of green.

[quote]When did Russia become such a piece of shit hellhole?

You mean, unlike those days we all remember so fondly when Russia was just like Tuscany, only better?

R59, Uncultured?

Russia has the hottest male ballet dancers, figure skaters, and above all, gymnasts. So, it can't be all bad.

I have R1 blocked for some reason

Only until they hit 30, R62.

Russia has been a rough nation for Centuries. The brutality of living in the Soviet Union was beyond comprehension for most Americans. See the film Leviathan if you want an idea of what it is like now. A generalization- but essentially I believe I am accurate.

Life in Russia has actually improved a lot. It is probably the best time to be Russian that there has ever been.

The fatalism makes sense. Seems they have no instinct for hope. Like they enjoy their misery.

What an awful place.

I'm from Portland, Oregon. While I love the city, some of the parks look similar to OP's picture. Yes, here in the good old U.S. of A. I lived for awhile near the South Park Blocks in Portland. So many meth addicts and drunks in the park that I avoided walking through there. Sure, Russia has its problems, but maybe we can address those people in our own country and not worry about what some other country is doing. Keep our focus where it matters.

Oh, and one more thing. OP's picture does not represent all of Russia. Don't get baited into thinking so just because one picture is posted. I'm sure OP can dig up some more pictures. I'm visiting a few Russian cities next year. I'll keep DL posted.

[quote] Sure, Russia has its problems, but maybe we can address those people in our own country and not worry about what some other country is doing.

Maybe Russia should try doing that? Seems to me that they're a sinking ship and instead of trying to improve themselves, they're just trying to drag everybody else down with them.

Is krokodil still a thing there?

One interesting fact that might explain a bit of Russia's inability to get democracy going - unlike western Europe, which had a feudal system in which the various Counts, Dukes, Lords and lesser nobility maintained their own lands and even had their own armies, in Russia, the Tsar had absolute title to every bit of land in the entire country. No member of the Russian nobility ever owned his/her land as a birthright. Any time a person was in favor with the Tsar, he could be granted a gorgeous estate that had until that minute been lived in by some other noble family who was now out of favor. The serfs also went with the land, so when you, as a nobleman, lost your land, you also lost your serfs. Why does that make a difference? Throughout Europe, and especially in England, the powerful noblemen served as a check on the absolute power of the king - because they could band together, join their armies together, and make battle upon the king. That was impossible in Russia. So absolute monarchy in Russia was succeeded by absolute dictatorship (Soviet style), followed by a brief attempt at democracy which quickly reverted to absolute dictatorship and oligarchy. There has never been a tradition of real opposition to the holder of the power.

At a lower stratus of society, the Russian mafia runs everything. People are used to having to pay bribes for absolutely everything. They are shaken down by the police, by thugs, by anyone who can get away with it, or has weapons or friends in the local city council or in the Duma.

PS I agree with the Portlander who says we ought to clean up our own house before we show pictures of homeless alcoholics in other countries. ...

r72 Google and YouTube are your friends - if you have a very strong stomach.

Violent homophobes and racist alcoholics. They're just the absolute worst.

The only good things that ever came from Russia are matryoshka dolls, architecture, vodka, a few other things I can't think of at the top of my head and t.A.T.u.

When wasn't Russia a piece of shit hellhole, OP?

Putin is about to unplug Russia from the international internet, and will only let people use the state controlled domestic internet. It's been talked about for years but I just recently saw an article saying Russia is now getting close to start testing the whole thing.

I feel bad for the Russian people but it's up to them to stand up and say we've had enough. Unfortunately only a few will dare to since big masses let Putin do whatever he wants. He just jails or kills any opponent who's starting to become even a small threat.

Will the Datalounge be allowed on the new Russian state internet??

Mother Russia's pussy stinks! like vodka, pleather and cheap cigarettes.

We plan to visit St Petersburg (the birthplace of Blessed Putin) before too long to see what all the fuss is about. We have a hunch it could be the land of opportunity!

I think it’s always been a pretty brutal place. I know a Russian person who grew up in Ukraine and Moscow, and she seems to have nostalgia for it sometimes specifically because of the poorer and therefore simpler life there. She says relationships with people were always much stronger there than they are here, and she seems conflicted about raising her kids in this culture because we’re materially focused instead of relationship focused. But life was hard there, is easier here, and she wouldn’t move back when it comes down to it. Interestingly, she says she understands why Putin likes Trump, because they lead similarly (bullies)—and she says in Russia, people are more comfortable with an authoritarian than with any other kind of leader because their history and culture make them expect that all leaders are corrupt and dictatorial. So when someone is an overt dictator, they know exactly who they are dealing with and what the rules are; when someone comes into power who presents himself as a friend of the people and not corrupt, they all panic because they don’t believe he’s who he says and so they are always on pins and needles waiting for the ball to drop.

I saw a long documentary on Catherine the Great one day that made me interested in Russian culture and history. Part of it focused on Russia as a country and a nation—not really Europe, not Asia, with aspects of both but politically aligning itself with Europe and culturally insisting on being its own thing. But that is practically impossible because the country is so vast and the cultures in different territories are so diverse: St. Petersburg is Europe, really, and then there are territories in the East where people look Mongolian and practice shamanism, and the people in the southern territories are basically Middle Eastern, and so although Catherine tried to rein them all in and get them to assume a unified Russian identity, it just has never really been possible. And yet Russian leaders always want to expand their territories and ansorb more countries whose cultures are contrary to theirs, which makes for more political turmoil and distrust between the government and the public.

I learned from that doc that during a smallpox epidemic that ravaged Europe, Catherine the Great brought in a French scientist who theorized that innoculations could make people immune to diseases. Catherine’s counsel thought it was the worst idea ever, but she believed in science and she volunteered to be innoculated. Smallpox swept through St. Petersburg, and she didn’t get it because she had been vaccinated.

It must be pretty bad if most of the women are hookers desperate to leave.

R82, what was the documentary called? Thanks

As r73 pointed out, Russia has mostly been overseen by totalitarian regimes. Given the Russian population is often roughly twice that of Germany but those people are spread over a land mass roughly 20 times that of Germany, totalitarianism just isn't practical in such circumstances.

That's a hell of a terrain to oversee, maintain order over and provide infrastructure for. A democratic government structure actually makes better sense for that incredible landmass and population density.

Not to mention that for centuries now, there have been Russians actively seeking to avoid being ruled by anyone by disappearing into the wilderness and setting up home there.

It's sort of fun watching them degrade themselves for a few rubles.

Off topic a bit, but why is Russia called MOTHER Russia but countries like Germany are called FATHERland by their people?

Because the country reeks of stank fish.

Why would any self-respecting gay man visit a regressive homophobic shithole like Russia?

R82, it’s worth noting that Catherine the Great was German.

It’s also worth noting that anti-vax hysteria - which the Kremlin is promoting in the West because it creates chaos - is spreading in Russia too. Measles cases are skyrocketing there. Oopsie.

Yes, r89, but she embraced Russia with both arms and was considered Russian by most, not as a German interloper.

They all have bad teeth.

A pretty depressing place.

I don't even wanna know what she's drinking.

Russia looks like hell on earth.

Russia has long been a brutal, miserable hellhole, OP.

The simple act of smiling in Russian culture is considered offensive in many situations., For example, if you're a stranger, they see it as inappropriate behavior, or, even if you are an acquaintance, as an act of dishonesty or masking something else. A co-worker of mine traveled to the former Soviet Union (Moscow) in the late 80s and came back with his assessment that "the Russians are NOT happy people" (his emphasis, not mine). I assumed he meant that they lacked warmth in general and were not a welcoming type of people in most social environments. Some of that may have been the oppressive environment of Soviet society, but I think it goes back centuries, probably to the beginnings of Russia itself,.

Russia has always been a shithole, rule by vicious bastards who enjoy abusing the Russian people. Looking back over the last 900 years. There’s not been much to smile about.

[quote]Yeah but the men have huge genitalia.

So they tell themselves.

Tip from an old whore: 12cm erect isn't "huge".

I pity the Rus. Poor stupid peasants brutalized by evil elites for a thousand years. They were basically lost vikings originally, all descended from a single fucking asshole viking during the last ice age. They can’t help it. They’ve always been doomed.

Karma

[quote]The Moscow subway on a warm summer day is an experience in olfactory overload the likes of which you'll never want to repeat until, of course, you have to get back on.

This subway?

[quote]it’s worth noting that Catherine the Great was German.

It’s worth noting that the British Royals are German, Marie Antoinette was Austrian (French) and Catherine De Medici was Italian (French). Royals are associated with the countries they reigned and Catherine the Great embraced being Russian more fervently than her predecessors save Peter the Great. She had her husband offed then pursued Russian expansionism more aggressively than anyone before or after.

No, R101. This one.

Has it ever not been one?

Yeah but the two drunk guys in R103 look hot.

There’s nothing wrong with being prejudiced against Russians.

If those guys are what's considered hot in Russia, then Russia is even more fucked up than we imagine.

This thread is useless without picture of hot naked Russian guys.

How do you even get green snow? I don’t want to know.

Russian vaginal discharge, R109.

Russian women are tremendous. They take American and Europeans loads for next to free.

Unless you were part of The Imperial Family, back when it counted, Russia has always been a shit hell hole.

R111 how dare you!

The Honourable High Excellent Majesty, Czar Comrade Vladimir has conquered aging and all other natural forces, beaming eternal youth and brilliance of soul and intellect, and all of you are jealous! A demigod, he has reversed the aging process, in fact is becoming younger and more of a beauty in defiance of God himself, a true warrior for the Motherland, without any assistance from any person or any technology. He will save us all!!!

Just can't here. Agendas.

What a shithole.

Their opinion of gays.

RUSSIA WORLD POWER

This is why I didn't feel bad selling them million dollar apartments in Panama City- it's just so yucky over there!

They can't shine our shoes!

^^^We can't shine theirs, or at least we couldn't. The first time I was there (1989) it appeared that most people in Moscow were wearing plastic shoes. In the snow in November.

Russia is a very fancy peoples

The Russians who immigrate to the United States are usually smart and hardworking. They know Russia is a shithole, that’s why they left.

They're going to colonize the moon.

Are there any theme parks in Russia?

Do they have a Snow White's Scary Adventures ride?

"When did Russia become such a piece of shit hellhole?"

Become? It's always been a shithole, even back in the days of the tsars.

From some of the elderly Russian people I've spoken too it was pretty much always a piece of shit.

If they illegally enter the U.S. in caravans and use children as Get-Out-Of-Jail Free cards, will the media and Social Justice Warriors support giving them amnesty?

I’m still doing Christmas in Moscow and you won’t stop me Travel is scary troll.

No, R128, but you be sure to let us know if that ever happens.

Free clue: it hasn't, and your pretense that it has simply establishes you as a fool.

They are all natural born criminals. I have hired a lot of day labor for small jobs around the house or the job site. Mostly Hispanic guys but on occasion Russians. Every single time I hire a Russian guy to do some work, they always have an angle how to skirt the system. For example, one asked me while putting in a light if I wanted to tap into the main buildings power source so I could get all my electricity in my unit for free. Another one freaked out when he saw packages from UPS on my door step. He couldn't believe that people wouldn't steal it. In Russia, he told me it would never show up because even your closets neighbor is a thief when no one is looking.

It never occurs to them to not exploit a situation if its something they could get away with.

Bumpskiy

It always has been. That’s why they have so many mail order brides.

In the early 1990's there was a Jewish non-profit group in WeHo that was working to get Jews out of Russia. Many settled in WeHo where this non-profit was based. Immediately they clashed with the long-established gay community and many of these problems are still ongoing.

At that time, I had a gym buddy in WeHo who was Russian born but had lived in the US since he was a baby. He told me to not trust Russians, they will scam you, steal from you, it is just how their system in Russia worked. My friend was very all-American looking and didn't look Russian but spoke it, so as he went through his day, he'd hear them in Russian calling him a fag and other derogatory remarks. He'd call them out on their shit, and boy once they knew he was Russian, their attitude changed immediately, all of sudden they were nice guys.

P.S. Netflix has a great show about the last Czar, it is really good, I highly recommend it.

[quote]They are all natural born criminals. ... they always have an angle how to skirt the system. ... It never occurs to them to not exploit a situation if its something they could get away with.

This is why they and Trump get along so well.

This Russian "wedding", omg!

.

[quote] Life in Russia has actually improved a lot. It is probably the best time to be Russian that there has ever been.

How so? Has the weekly potato ration increased?

It has improved some, R138, in the sense that it’s now where the US was in the second half of the twentieth century.

When the Soviet Union ended in 1992, Russia was starting from a very low base.

bump